Acoustical product



Patented July 4, '1 933 1 19 Drawing". a

a ITEDTSTATES RAFAEL ennsravino, on BAY snonn, nnw YRKV;,ASSIG1\T 0R 170 R. GUASTAVINO COM- PANY, on NE YORK, me,- A CORPORATION on MASSACHUSETTS l This invention relates'to acoustical structural material suitable for finishing or far:-

ing walls and ceilings inauditoriums and the like and having a high acoustical value possessing the property of absorbing sound waves ranging at least between (1- 1 and C-7 of the musical pitch; Primarily the material of the present invention is a material possessing the acoustical characteristicsspecifie-d and of special utility, not only for the walls'and ceilings of auditoriums and like. places to prevent excessive reverberations and echoes, and the injurious focusing of sound, but also particularly available as a practical form of acoustical material suitable for hospitals and places where the sound absorbingfeature is desirable, as well as the feature of being washable for cleansing without in way affecting the character of the materialor its coloring." l

' Another general. object of the invention is to provide an acoustical product, preferably used in tile orblockform which has a high processing or making acoustical material which permits of the use of non absorbent stony aggregate in combination with metallic coloring elements whose color is de veloped by the firingofthematerial, thus obtaining an acousticalstructure ormaterial wherein the colors are set and made perma nent by the firing and will notbe affected in i any way by the exposure or use of the same;

also contributing to that important phase of the invention which provides-for an 'acousti cal tileorblock which may "be'usedinthe construction of 'high-grade masonry forming the permanent interior finish of a wall or ceiling.

from acoustical material of a ceramic nature such as that disclosed in my fOrmerPatent No. 1,119,543 granted December 1, 1914, wherein the orosity in the final product is the result 0 burning out of vegetable "or nooUsTrcAL r nonncr Application filed ianfiar rz eaa Serial no. 333,246.

organic material originally mixed with the raw clay to provide the inter-communicating pores-throughout the-mass, and also from that typeof non-ceramic acoustical material coveredby the joint patent of Sabine & Guastavino Reissue No. 14,992, granted November 23, 1920, wherein the particles of body material, which are preferably graded, are merely bonded to each other at the pointsof contact with such a binder, as for example, Portland cement. The methods of these former patents forproducing an acoustical finishing material represent the art as known to the applicant and differ from the present invention which contemplates an acoustical orsound absorbing material consisting of particles of graded body material bonded to each other at their pointsof contact by a flux which becomes the binder upon the firing of the material and produces a material of glassy character throughout which is easily washed or cleansed.

Accordingly, in carrying forward the present invention there-is used preferably a graded stony or vitrified ceramic aggregate having incorporated, in 'amixture therewith, aflux, or which involves a fluxing element,

which, upon the final firing of the material willfuse and permanently bind the aggregate particle's together at their'points of contact which formsthe product with intercommunicating pores throughoutwhich extend to the surface and which are of such size as tobest'absorb sound waves ranging, for example, between (1-1 and C-7 of themusical pitch. i

. In its concrete aspect the invention consistsofanaggregate of preferably graded stony or "ceramic particles, including a fluxing element and preliminarily molded into the desired tile or'block form with a shape maintaining element which may be the flux itself or a separate substance, such as an The present invention. s, materially iorganlc or inorganic adhes ve Subsequent- 1y, after the tile or block has beenshaped to form; such form is then subjected to a firing heat thereby to flux together the parmaking permanent, any color which it is desired to give to thematerial. V

More specifically it may be said that the invention is carried into e'fiectlbyusing a" preferably. graded aggregate. composed of quartz, feldspar, sand, or any practical selection of vitrified particles, such as glass, which have been ground and screened toa proper grading. J This aggregate-preferably has mixed with it a certainprop'ortion of a flux, such for example, as boracic acid, borax,

lime, oxide or carbonate of lead, orany oth er' suitable flux'or combination of. fluxes so that when the mixture is worked up and damp-" enedt'he same may be molded in suitable forms forthe making of tiles, bricks, slabs or blocks. The material thus moldedor cast ispreferably-formed in a mold having a steel plate at the bottom so that after-the pressing of the material into the mold, and=there by shaping it, the samemay be left on the plate to be properly dried under suitable atmospheric conditions for a period of usually approximately three or four days. a When thus driedtheshaped acoustical material'is placedin asuitable kiln or oven and fired at a, temperature ranging from approximate- 1500 to"-2000 Fahrenheit so that the,

ffhxing element, included in the aggregate, will fuse and-bind the aggregate particles together at the points of contact only, thereby leaving intercominunicating pores throughout they-body of the material and alSoIeXtending to and through-the surface :thereof as previously indicated. I

Itwill be understood that in the Very na ture of some of the particles used, a separate flux ing' elementc-may be omittechras for example, glass alone willact-aslts own flux by carrying the temperature to the proper degree or-it may bemixed with a flux as 7 already referred; to, and feldspar, is another j be madeto' serve the purposes of the invention; a It will'now be seen that'a distinguishing flfeat'u'reof the present invention is thatthe acoustical product resulting from the, fore-' going method of processing will have sulficient' stability, before firing, to permitvof example ofsa material: used that will opferate as its own flux at ahightemperature. -VVhjen material of th'is kind is used, acting asits own'flux, themixed aggregate isrheld andzmaintained in its preliminary molded shape-by asepa-rate' shape maintaining ele- -ment, such," as an organic or inorganic adhesive, so that it will therefore beunderstood that, in carrying out the invention, while a separate fluxing elementis preferably 'emeployed as part of the mixture,,,nevertheless an aggregate material made up ofa substance which in itselfacts as a fluxing element may i In I testimony whereof I stenciling of designs thereon, so that the design maybe fired in the final product and that an importantphase of the invention 1s that the process of making the material lends itself to thense of .a metallic c'oloring'element whosef coloris developed by the firing of the material and is therebyset and made permanent. Another feature of importance to note'i' 'in connectionwithfthe invention. is that theafiring of thepreliminarily shaped product to the fiuxing temperaturewill cause 'the m'ateri al to become of a'vitreous or glassy characteristic and l llIlPGIVlOllS to molsture,

acts not only; as an-. hard ening agent'iand binderi but at a high temperature also, acts as a flux Thiswill make an acoustical materialwhich can be readily moldedand set to the desired shape and after firing will possess. extreme rigidity,' strength andper- ;9--5

manence. I Fromthe foregoing it is thought that the structural and process features ofthe present'iinvention'iWill now be readiIyQappreci ated without furthervdescription iand t is understood that: changes 1n material and in process may-be resortedi to without depart;

ioo

ingfrom the spirit orsacrifi'cing any of the V vadvantagesof the invention.

; I; claim q 1:; Aftile} or block I consisting-"of graded ,nonabsorbent silicious aggregates of a characterlthat are; superficially fusible with "or ithout a flux} at "a temperature be tween 1500f to 20009 11 and of a size to. pro- 'vide aporous amass" capable of absorbing sound between C'1-and 0+7 of themusi;

cal pitch, bonded at their-pointsof contact by superficialfusion.

'2. An acoustical tile or block providing a porous vitreous exposed outer face and consisting of graded non-absjorbent siliceous age gregates of a 7 character that are superficial- 'ly fusible. with or without a'fiux, said graded aggregatesbelng of a sizelto provide a po- 23 rous 1 mass capable of absorbing sound be-v tween Cl and C47; of the musical pitch and'bonded at theirpoints of contact by superficial fusion.

signature-.4 1

" i v-RAFAELGUASTAVINO.f

hereunto fmy 

